BX 

9211 

.P49137 

B705 

1867 


tS" 


BX  9211  .P49137  B705  1867 
Stead,  B.  F.  1815-1879. 
The  foundation 


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o 


*®hc     Sfoxmbctiion 


A  DISCOURSE 


DEI.IVEKBD   OX 


Laying     the     poRNEf\-S 


ORNER- OTONE 


^c  flrcsbgtcrriin   ^ijurc^, 


BRIDESBURG,  PA. 


By    B.    F.    STEAD,   D.   D. 


PRINTED    BY    REQUEST. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

KING  &  BAIRD,  PRINTERS,  No.  607  SANSOM  STREET. 

1  867. 


DISCOURSE. 


An  American  clergyman,  visiting  the  ancient  city 
of  Damascus,  ascended  to  the  roof  of  one  of  the  Mo- 
hammedan mosques.  The  building  had  been  con- 
structed from  the  ruins  of  some  ancient  Christian 
edifice,  and  on  one  of  the  slabs  of  marble  the  servant 
of  Christ  found  an  old  inscription,  which  the  followers 
of  the  false  prophet  had  unwittingly  placed  upon  their 
place  of  worship.  On  that  old  fragment,  taken  from 
some  Christian  church,  was  the  inscription,  in  Greek, 

To  Christ,  the  Eternal  King. 

Thus  our  Lord  Jesus  puts  his  mark  on  all  the  pos- 
sessions of  this  world,  and  claims  them  for  his  own. 
The  time  shall  come  when  all  must  respect  this  claim. 
His  servants  now  recognize  it  and  rejoice  to  say, 
"  Thine  is  the  Kingdom." 


With  King  David  when  he  consecrated  to  God  the 
rich  offering  for  the  erection  of  the  temple,  let  every 
Christian  in  every  act  of  dedication  say,  "All  things 
come  of  thee,  and  of  thine  own  have  we  given  thee." 

We  are  here  to  lay  the  corner-stone  of  a  house  to  be 
dedicated  to  Jesus,  the  King  of  Ages.  On  every  stone, 
and  on  every  part  of  the  building,  let  his  name  be 
written,  from  the  foundation  to  the  top-stone ;  on  the 
doors,  that  the  people  coming  in  and  going  out  may 
remember  whose  house  they  are  in;  on  the  pews  and 
on  the  pulpit — let  pastor  and  people  read  and  consider ; 
on  the  communion  table  and  on  the  choir,  that  every 
service,  holy  communion,  prayer,  discourse,  and  song 
of  praise,  and  every  strain  of  melody,  may  be  for  the 
honor  of  Jesus,  the  King  Eternal. 

On  the  foundation  of  the  Church  of  God  there  is,  as 
we  read  in  Holy  Scripture,  a  two-fold  inscription.  On 
the  one  side  a  recognition  of  the  sovereignty  and  grace 
of  God ;  on  the  other,  a  recognition  of  the  duty  of  man: 
"The  Lord  knows  his  own;"  and  "Let  every  one 
WHO  names  the  name  of  Christ,  depart  from 
INIQUITY."  On  these  two  principles  the  Church  of 
God  rests. 

The  Church  may  be  considered  as  visible  or  invisible. 
As  visible,  it  is  made  up  of  all  who  profess  the  Chris- 


tian  religion  and  of  tlieir  children ;  as  invisible,  it  is 
made  up  of  all  whom  the  Lord  knows  as  his  own.  The 
Church  visible  is  a  field  in  which  are  some  barren 
places;  some  hard-trodden  like  the  waj-side;  some 
where  the  wild  thorns  have  choked  the  seed ;  some 
where  the  under  stratum  of  rock  leaves  no  room  for 
the  root;  but  in  other  parts  we  see  the  seed  growing 
and  producing  a  rich  harvest.  The  visible  Church  is 
a  net ;  it  gathers  many  fish, — some  good,  others  worth- 
less, which  are  cast  away. 

But  the  Church  invisible  is  a  flock :  the  Shepherd 
gives  his  life  for  it,  he  feeds  it,  he  folds  it ;  the  LarnVs 
Bride,  to  denote  the  love  of  her  Lord  for  her ;  the  body 
of  Christ — it  partakes  of  his  life,  is  pervaded  by  his 
Spirit,  is  subject  to  his  will ;  the  kingdom  of  God,  and 
as  the  Church  on  earth  recognizes  the  authority  of  her 
King,  so  should  it  be  her  aim  and  the  aim  of  each 
member  to  know,  obey  and  submit  to  her  Lord's  will, 
as  angels  do  in  heaven.  The  Church  is  founded  on  the 
fact  of  God's  free  sovereign  grace ;  that  he  is  the  origin 
and  fountain  of  life ;  as  of  natural  life,  so  by  his  love, 
by  his  prevenient  grace,  the  fountain  of  spiritual  life. 
The  Church  invisible  is  made  up  of  the  Lord's  own : 
the  Lord's  by  the  FatJter^s  election,  chosen  in  Christ 
before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  elect  according  to 


the  foreknowledge  of  God,  from  the  beginning  chosen 
to  salvation ;  the  Lord's  by  donation  to  his  Son:  to  them 
given  to  him,  Jesus  gives  eternal  life:  them  given  to 
him  he  keeps,  and  none  of  them  are  lost ;  the  Lord's  by 
regeneration  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  thus  called  effectually, 
enlightened,  renewed,  sanctified  ;  the  Lord's  by  adoption^ 
and  so,  by  his  grace,  becoming  emphatically  God's 
children;  the  Lord's  by  the  consummation  of  glory. 

Inspired  Apostles  give  us,  in  their  proper  order,  the 
links  of  the  chain.  Thus,  Paul :  "  Whom  he  did  fore- 
know, he  also  did  predestinate  to  be  conformed  to  the 
image  of  his  Son."  "  Whom  he  did  predestinate,  them  he 
also  called:  and  whom  he  called,  them  he  also  justified: 
and  whom  he  justified,  them  he  also  glorified."  This 
is  the  chain  of  salvation :  it  is  all  contained  in  that  first 
inscription,  "  The  Lord  knows  his  own," 

Now  let  us  walk  around  and  read  the  inscription  on 
the  other  side:  "Let  everyone  naming  the  name 
OF  Christ  depart  from  iniquity." 

The  principle  of  human  duty,  of  man's  obligation,  is 
as  real  a  principle  to  be  recognized  and  preached  as 
the  fact  of  God's  sovereign  grace.  We  believe  in  the 
necessity  of  good  works ;  but  we  do  believe  in  putting 
this  principle  in  its  right  place:  good  works,  not  as 
the  means  of  salvation,  but  as  the  result  of  salvation. 


7 

The  old  covenant  was,  "Do  and  Live."  The  new 
covenant  is,  "  Live  and  Do."  There  must  be  spiritual 
life  before  there  can  be  good  works.     Christ  is  our  life. 

There  are  two  powerful  motives  to  lead  men  to  do 
right :  a  sense  of  duty  and  the  power  of  love.  Duty  is 
a  noble  motive,  but  it  is  not  the  strongest.  Love  is 
more  potent.  Solomon  knew  the  power  of  love  when 
he  gave  command  that  the  living  child,  disputed  for  by 
two  women,  should  be  cut  in  twain. 

That  heart  is  the  most  strongly  nerved  for  its  work 
which  feels  the  combined  power  of  these  two  motives, 
love  and  duty.  Thus  the  great  naval  hero  of  England, 
Lord  Nelson,  strong  in  the  sense  of  duty  to  his  king 
and  country,  and  glowing  with  patriotic  love  for  his 
own  land,  prodigal  of  his  life,  and  exulting  in  the 
victory  gained,  although  at  the  expense  of  his  life,  with 
his  expiring  breath  uttered  the  noble  sentiment:  "I 
thank  God  for  giving  me  this  great  opportunity  of 
doing  my  duty." 

The  Christian  feels  the  power  of  this  two-fold  motive: 
duty  to  his  King,  and  love  to  his  Saviour.  His  con- 
science and  his  heart  respond  to  the  proclamation  of 
his  Lord,  "Ye  must  needs  be  subject  to  the  will  of  the 
Lord."  Duty  impels  him,  love  constrains  him.  Every 
one  naming  the  name  of  Christ  should  depart  from 


iniquity,  because  God  commands  it.  But  lie  must, 
from  the  very  nature  of  the  case,  depart  from  iniquity. 
One  dead  to  sin  cannot  live  in  sin.  They  who  are  the 
Lord's  have  a  new  nature.  That  nature  must  manifest 
itself.  Thus  we  see  the  harmony  of  these  two  inscrip- 
tions ;  they  complete  each  other.  The  two  indicate  the 
foundation  on  which  the  Church  rests:  God's  grace, 
man's  duty.  We  are  here  to  lay  the  corner-stone  of  a 
church  to  be  built  on  that  foundation — a  church  in 
which  are  to  be  preached  these  doctrines  and  duties, 
the  doctrines  of  grace  and  the  duties  of  holiness :  to 
the  end  that  God  may  be  glorified  and  man  blessed. 

This  is  the  gospel  we  believe  and  preach ;  a  gospel  of 
glory  to  God  and  good-will  to  man.  This  is  the  Chris- 
tianity here  to  be  inculcated ;  a  religion  of  sound  doc- 
trine and  holy  practice. 

Here  is  to  be  built  a  church,  a  Christian  Chukch — 
Christian,  thus  distinguished  from  all  mere  naturalism 
or  rationalism:  holding  the  Bible  to  be  the  very  Word  of 
God ;  a  supernatural  revelation  of  God's  character  and 
will;  of  man's  relation  tp  God  and  of  God's  purpose 
and  grace  to  man. 

A  Protestant  Church — Protestant,  as  opposed  to 
Romish  or  Papal;  Protestant,  as  holding  the  Bible  to 
be  the  only  rule  of  doctrine  and  duty. 


An  Evangelical  Church — Evangelical  as  opposed 
to  formalism ;  the  formalism  of  ceremonies  on  the  one 
hand,  or  the  formalism  of  dead  works  on  the  other ; 
answering  the  question,  "  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved?" 
not  by  this  reply,  "Do  penance,  or  reform  your  morals," 
but,  "  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  thou  shalt 
be  saved." 

A  Calvinistic  Church.  We  call  no  man  master ; 
but  this  word,  independent  of  its  personal  origin, 
has  become  distinctive — we  might  say,  Augustinian, 
Pauline.  We  mean,  recognizing  God's  grace  as  the 
source  of  spiritual  life ;  that  the  fact  of  spiritual  life 
begins  not  with  man  but  with  God ;  that  God  chooses 
the  sinner  before  the  sinner  chooses  God ;  that  God's 
grace  is  free,  prevenient,  effectual.  A  Calvinistic 
Church,  not  ignoring  man's  responsibility  and  duty, 
recognizing  it,  insisting  upon  it,  but  giving  to  God  all 
the  glory  of  man's  salvation.  These  things  we  hold 
and  preach :  the  Word  of  God  only ;  the  grace  of 
Christ  only ;  the  work  of  the  Spirit  only. 

A  Presbyterian  Church — Presbyterian  in  doc- 
trine, in  order,  in  worship.  In  doctrine,  holding  and 
holding  forth  the  truth  as  stated  in  the  Westminster 
Confession  of  Faith  and  Catechisms.  Presbyterian  in 
order,  as  stated  in  three  propositions :    "1.  That  the 


10 

people  have  a  right  to  a  substantial  part  in  the  govern- 
ment of  the  Church ;  2.  That  Presbyters  who  minister 
in  word  and  doctrine  are  the  highest  permanent  officers 
of  the  Church,  and  all  belong  to  the  same  order ;  3.  That 
the  outward  and  visible  Church  is,  or  should  be,  one,  in 
the  sense  that  a  smaller  part  is  subject  to  a  larger,  and 
a  larger  to  the  whole."*  We  are  not  sticklers  for 
forms  of  government,  but  we  hold  that  the  Presbyterian 
form  is  according  to  the  word  of  God,  and  admirably 
in  harmony  with  our  Republican  institutions.  Presby- 
terian in  worship — believing  in  the  simple,  primitive 
forms  of  worship :  the  reading  of  God's  word,  for  the 
instruction  of  the  people ;  the  singing  of  God's  praise 
in  a  style  so  simple  that  all  may  join ;  the  prayers, 
scriptural,  for  the  time,  adapted  to  existing  wants,  such 
as  the  Spirit  of  God  may  dictate ;  preaching — Christ's 
great  institute  for  the  conversion  of  men,  for  the  edifi- 
cation of  the  body  of  Christ,  for  the  extension  of  Christ's 
kingdom  over  the  world — preaching :  here  let  it  occupy 
no  secondary  position. 

This  is  the  business  of  the  hour :  to  lay  the  corner- 
stone of  a  church,  Christian,  Protestant,  Evangelical, 
Calvinistic,  Presbyterian :  here  to  be  set  for  a  sign,  for 

*  Dr.  Hodge,  Wliat  is  Presbyterianism  ?  pp.  6,  7. 


II 

a  bulwark,  for  a  fortress,  for  a  lightliouse.  An  institu- 
tion divine,  positive,  distinctive,  as  indicated  by  the 
names,  Christian,  Protestant,  Evangelical,  Calvinistic, 
Presbyterian;  yet  not  controversial,  except  so  far  as 
the  injunction  of  Holy  Scripture  requires:  "Contend 
earnestly  for  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints." 

The  foundation  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  is  a 
broad  foundation.  It  is  not  exclusive  in  its  spirit  or 
its  claims.  It  recognizes  as  Christians  all  who  confess 
their  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  do  not  deny 
him  by  wicked  works.  It  recognizes  the  sacraments 
of  other  denominations  of  Christians  as  valid,  true,  and 
holy.  It  respects  all  denominations  of  Christians  as 
parts  of  the  one  Church  visible.  It  makes  no  exclusive 
claims,  uses  no  exclusive  phraseology.  For  itself  it 
only  claims  to  be  one  grand  division  of  the  "  Sacra- 
mental Host-  of  God's  elect." 

No  evangelical  Christian  can  deny  that  in  the  doc- 
trines of  the  Presbyterian  Church  saving  truth  is 
found  in  its  fulness.  This  saiving  truth  is  what  in  our 
churches  is  chiefly  preached.  I  doubt  whether  in  any 
other  pulpits  are  other  denominations  so  seldom  as- 
sailed, or  doctrines  so  seldom  taught  to  which  all  evan- 
gelical Churches  would  not  agree.  I  would  put  into 
the  hands  of  the  clergy  of  other  denominations  a  copy 


12 

of  our  Shorter  Catechism  and  ask,  How  many  of  its 
one  hundred  and  seven  answers  do  you  object  to? 

My  Roman  Catholic  brother,  even  he,  need  not 
object  to  more  than  six  or  seven.  My  Methodist 
brother  would  object  perhaps  to  two.  My  Baptist 
brother  to  one  or  two.  My  evangelical  Episcopal 
brother  would  not  I  think  object  to  one.  But  this 
little  book  contains  the  substance  of  our  teaching ;  in 
it  we  instruct  our  children  in  our  families  and  our 
Sunday-school ;  we  count  it  a  most  admirable  summary 
of  Christian  doctrine,  a  choice  form  of  health-giving 
words.  The  Christian  character  founded  on  the  model 
of  that  little  book  must  be  intelligent,  symmetrical, 
sound,  practical. 

A  Church  with  its  appliances  and  agencies  holding 
and  teaching  these  doctrines,  with  its  pastor  and  elders, 
its  preaching,  its  schools,  its  prayers,  its  life,  must  be 
a  blessing  to  a  community.  Under  its  shadow  all 
virtues  flourish,  honesty,  temperance,  industry,  integ- 
rity, all  kindly  charities.  It  bears  with  it  blessings 
for  this  life,  blessings  for  the  life  to  come.  Let  the 
men  who  give  of  their  substance  for  the  establishment 
and  support  of  the  Church  be  counted,  as  they  are,  the 
best  benefactors  of  society.  This  fine  area  of  ground, 
more  than  thirty  years  ago  consecrated  to  Christ  and 


13 

his  cause,  might  have  been  devoted  to  other  purposes ; 
but  it  was  a  wise,  Christian  forethought  that  thus  con- 
secrated it.  With  the  buildings  upon  it  devoted  to 
sacred  uses,  it  stands  a  memorial  of  love  to  God  and 
love  to  man. 

The  Fathers  pass  away,  but  the  grace  of  God  raises 
up  successive  generations  to  do  his  work.  How  faith- 
ful his  promise,  "Lo  I  am  with  you  alway  unto  the 
end  of  the  world."  He  who  sits  a  Priest  upon  his 
throne,  he  shall  build  the  temple  of  the  Lord.  All 
wealth  is  his,  the  gold  and  silver,  all  the  undiscovered, 
all  the  untold  treasures  of  the  earth ;  all  hearts  are  in 
his  hand.  He  shall  build  until  the  top-stone  shall  be 
laid  with  shoutings  of  Grace,  grace  unto  it.  To  Him, 
our  Lord  and  Saviour,  be  glory  in  the  Church  through- 
out all  ages,  world  without  end.     Amen. 


JX   9211    .P49137  B705   1867 
|Stead,   B.    F.    1815-1879. 
The  foundation 


